Welcome to
The Pup Scholar

WOOF!

WHO ARE WE?

My name is Shauna Lee. My husband, Javier, and I live with three very quirky canines in beautiful Tampa, Florida. Together we own Tampa Pet Sitters, a pet care company, The Pup Scholar, and a small tech consulting company. Javier is also the VP of Client Services for a local Data Center. And I am a self-labeled “Crazy Dog Lady.”

To elaborate, I am a Dog Trainer, Canine Behavior Counselor, aspiring scientist, researcher, and canine care & culture writer. My academic & research  goals cover an eclectic range of scientific interests within the fields of Biology & Psychology. Both humans and canines, of course. You’ll have no trouble finding that reflected in my writing.

I also enjoy researching, writing, and teaching about the incredible phenomenon of the Human-Canine bond. In particular, the emotional & behavioral aspects of that bond, as well as how we communicate with each other. Sometimes I think everything I do is driven by the massive soft-spot in my heart for dogs struggling to deal with intense fear, anxiety, or stress. Whether that’s PTSD related due to a traumatic event or past situation, or a personality trait they’ve had since birth, I am a sucker for a dog in need.

Perhaps growing up with ADHD and being labeled the “weird kid,” gives me a unique understanding of what they may be experiencing. My lifelong struggles and personal experiences with anxiety & PTSD, provide me with an innate ability to understand, connect with, and rehabilitate dogs with similar issues.

I’m not sure where my obsession with science and dogs came from, but it has been a driving factor in everything I have done. To sum it up, my education, my work, my life, and my happiness are all intertwined in canine science and culture. I write about dogs, train dogs, teach others about dogs, walk, care for, and live with dogs. Admittedly, I could go on and on for hours about the amazing and incredible things I know about dogs! If you’re still reading along, then I’ll assume that like me, you are also the definition of a “Dog Person.” I am unashamed to wear that label proudly for all to see.

Our Mission

‘To Increase Awareness and Education Within Our Dog Loving Community.’ We’re passionate about Canine Science and the animal-related causes that threaten these incredible creatures. In just the past two decades, canine research has uncovered a plethora of information that we didn’t know before. Numerous studies and breakthroughs developed about how canine’s think, behave, and interact with us.

Our Dream

Shaping generations of dog lovers that understand proper canine care and culture is essential to making long-lasting, positive changes within our communities. Knowledge is power, the kind that can change the world and improve the lives and welfare of animals across the globe. We are proud, passionate ambassadors of that knowledge! We hope to inspire anyone with a dog in their life, to want and be able to provide the best life possible.

Our Purpose

There has been such enlightening work published on how dogs communicate, experience & express emotions, think and behave. Understanding as much as possible about “Man’s Best Friend” is vital in providing the physical and emotional care they need to live long, healthy, content lives with us. Through our blog, educational courses and materials, and community outreach programs, we want to make it easy for anyone to access and be able to understand this information.

WHAT WE DO

Canine Behavior Counseling

Our services provide citizens thorough canine education and assist them with understanding dogs that may be experiencing behavioral issues. What we offer is so more than basic dog training, though. We provide Behavioral Counseling & Modification, which focuses primarily on helping owners struggling with their dog’s fearful, anxious, or aggressive behavior.

We also work with private and public organizations, rescues, fosters, & potential adopters to ensure the adopted dog’s next home is their forever home. We even assist pet industry professionals like veterinarians or pet care pros with dogs in their lives that have confusing behavior they can’t figure out.

Education & Learning

We offer educational courses, classes, and workshops to the community, both as a service and donation basis for those in need. We have options for adults, parents, and kids. We’re available for private one-on-one learning and large or small group environment such as schools, businesses, or other organizations.

Our “sort of scholarly-ish blog” offers a window into our ever-expanding knowledge of all things that pertain to Dogs & Science. We provide tips, tricks, how-tos, and videos that cover various topics. Training, Fear-Free Vet & Grooming care, Diet & Nutrition, Health & Exercise, to name a few!

Pet Care Product Savings

COMING SOON! (TBA) – is a fun way we try to help the local pet community by providing a repository of any specials, promos, and sales, for any pet-related products. We’ve scoured the internet to find ways to help pet parents save money and provide their pets with all their necessities and wants.

We also manage a Facebook group (COMING SOON – TBA)! You can check it out HERE(TBA). We keep those group members updated with the best deals we can find. As well as share when new blog posts, courses, classes, and research opportunities come out. And, of course, interesting publications we find relating to canine science.

NOTE: Courses are currently in development and will start becoming independently available over the summer of 2020. These include topics such as Dog Bite Safety for kids, Canine Care, Canine Enrichment, Canine Communications, Canine Culture, Calming Canine Anxiety, and more.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH GOALS

TO ORGANIZE

We love helping others organize in the name of animal welfare! Whether it’s an event, a fundraiser, marketing campaign, or just info and resources!

  • Create and host public educational events for dog owners & industry professionals. These include adoption events, fundraisers, and awareness campaigns. We also assist with marketing and social media outreach support for our non-profit and local business partners.
  • Develop and deliver high-quality academic literature and data. These are resources to assist animal agencies and animal service professionals (and their clientele) in promoting the proper care and improvement of the welfare of our canine companions.
TO GIVE

Dogs give so much, yet ask for so little. It’s in our nature to want to give back anything we can to help improve their lives. And we love to help others give back as well!

  • Working with non-profits and shelters with marketing and social media goals. Providing counsel for behavioral issues and developing educational materials for their directors, board members, volunteers, fosters, and adopters.
  • Provide assessments of existing training and adoption programs for rescue groups to help identify the most effective way to screen and educate potential adopters.
  • Creating & collecting market research polls, and interpreting the data to obtain feedback on the pet owner communities most essential needs, cares & concerns. Sharing that data with colleagues for the mutual goal of improving the overall lives of the dogs we all live and work with daily.
TO EDUCATE

Our continuously expanding knowledge in canine science allows us to share the most up-to-date information & resources to the people and organizations we partner with.

  • Providing free public access to educational materials that expose people in our community to the benefits of human-canine relationships and their proper care requirements.
  •  Develop and deliver high-quality academic literature and data resources to assist animal agencies, animal service professionals (and their clients) in promoting the proper care and improvement of the welfare of our canine companions.
  • Provide evidence-based, knowledge about human-animal relationships to those local officials that work to affect policy and practices involving animals.
If you’re passionate about improving the lives of dogs, lets talk about partnering up!
CONTACT US

certifications, memberships, and affiliations

DOGGONE SAFE

Membership: Speak Dog Certified, Dog Bite Safety Educator, Be a Tree Presenter

Doggone Safe is a US-based 501(c)3 non-profit with over 1400 members in more than 30 countries. Their goal is the education of safe human-canine interactions to prevent dog bites that can ultimately lead to serious and life altering ramifications for both people and their pets. Doggone Safe is dedicated to dog bite prevention through the promotion of awareness and education initiatives for the purpose of dog bite prevention and increased safety around dogs and to provide support for dog bite victims. Through our Membership, we are dedicated to teaching others and bringing awareness to the importance of understanding and respecting your dogs body language for bite prevention.

Learn More: www.doggonesafe.com

D.W.A.

Membership: The Dog Welfare Alliance

Founded in September 2013. It brings together members of the public, organizations, governing bodies, behaviourists and trainers, students of dog behaviour, veterinary surgeons, therapists and rescue shelters, and connects those with an interest in dog behavior and welfare. Membership subscriptions and donations are passed on in full to rescue shelters, so that they can save dogs in urgent need. The DWA helps rescues to fund veterinary care, education programs and dog sanctuaries. The Dog Welfare Alliance is also an affiliate member of The International Companion Animal Network (http://companionanimal.network/), an umbrella organisation for professional bodies and education providers who use, teach and promote purely force-free methods.

Mission Statement: www.dogwelfarealliance.com

FEAR-FREE

Certification: Fear-Free Certified Professional Animal Trainer

Fear-Free Pets provides online and in-person education to veterinary professionals, the pet professional community, and pet owners. Their courses & certifications provide learners with the knowledge and tools to not only look after a pet’s physical well-being, but their emotional well-being as well. Their mission is to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets by inspiring and educating the people who care for them. Founded by “America’s Veterinarian,” Dr. Marty Becker, Fear Free has become one of the single most transformative initiatives in the history of companion animal practice, with nearly 33,000 veterinary and pet professionals committed to becoming Fear Free certified.

Learn more: www.FearFreePets.com

I.C.A.N.

Membership: Associate Member

The International Companion Animal Network (ICAN) was founded by a group of prominent organizations and education providers who use and recommend purely force-free methods. Formed in order to meet the profound need for solidarity, mutual support, communication and cooperation between professionals working in the animal behaviour and training realm.

Learn More: www.companionanimal.network

INTOdogs

Membership: The Association of INTODogs

INTODogs is a members-only organization for Dog Trainers, Behaviourists and other dog professionals, promoting positive, kind methods in order to enhance the quality of life for owners and dogs. They seek to promote the highest standards of professional conduct and members have high ethical standards with the welfare of dogs, central to their work, and continually keep up to date with new regulations and teachings. Members pledge to continue to educate themselves to achieve the highest standards of knowledge, so that they are able to pass this on to their clients. We will always put the needs of the dog at the center of everything we do. And we will always support the needs of the dogs care givers.

Learn More: www.intodogs.org

P.P.G.

Membership: Canine Training Professional

The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) is based on a commitment to provide educational resources to pet care providers and the public coupled with an emphasis on building collaboration among force-free pet trainers and professional pet care providers and advocates for mutually agreed guiding principles for the pet care industry. PPG partners, members and affiliates focus on each pet’s physical, mental, environmental and nutritional well-being adhering to a holistic approach to the care and training of family pets. Not wanting to be “all things to all people” the PPG is the only professional pet industry member association that advocates for force-free dog training and pet care and requires that its members adhere to its “Guiding Principles” which are made available to the public. PPG is an organization that stands up for what they believe in with ongoing advocacy initiatives, and backs it all up with the latest scientific research and peer-reviewed studies. To be in any way affiliated with PPG, members must adhere to a strict code of Ethics.

Learn More: www.petprofessionalguild.com

PROJECT TRADE

Membership: Project Trade

The Pet Professional Guild’s (PPG) international advocacy program that promotes the use of force-free pet training equipment by asking pet guardians to swap choke, prong and shock collars (and any other devices that are designed to change behavior through pain or fear). Because we want all pets and their guardians to experience the huge advantages and long-lasting effectiveness of force-free training and pet care, we will give you great discounts on our most popular, effective, fun and pain-free training and pet care services in exchange for your old gear. View below for all the details.

Learn More: www.petprofessionalguild.com

SHOCK-FREE

Affiliation: The Shock-Free Coalition

The Shock Free Coalition believes that pets have an intrinsic right to be treated humanely, to have each of their individual needs met, and to live in a safe, enriched environment free from force, pain and fear. Members of the Shock-Free Coalition consider it to be their responsibility and utmost obligation to be vigilant, to educate, to remain engaged and work toward eliminating shock as a permissible tool so it is never considered a viable option in the training, management and care of pets. The key purpose of the Shock-Free Coalition is to build a strong and broad movement committed to eliminating shock devices from the supply and demand chain.

Learn more and sign the same Pledge we did here: www.shockfree.org

PRO PET

Certification: Pet CPR & First Aid

ProPetHero Pet CPR & First Aid course teaches first aid techniques to address the most common emergencies that can occur with domestic pets.  It covers  how to notice abnormalities and detect early warning signs in pets. As well as essential pre-vet care and life saving techniques for emergencies. Developed and taught by Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Bobbi Conner, a specialist in small animal emergency & critical care.

Learn More: www.catanddogfirstaid.com